(Press Release, UMNS)

BERLIN: Meeting in Berlin, Germany, today, the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church elected new officers who will assume their leadership roles in 2016.

The new officers of the Council are:

President – Bishop Bruce R. Ough, Dakotas-Minnesota Episcopal Area
President designate – Bishop Kenneth H. Carter Jr., Florida Episcopal Area
Secretary - Bishop Cynthia Harvey, Louisiana Episcopal Area (re-elected for two years)
Connectional Table chairperson - Bishop Christian Alsted, Nordic and Baltic Episcopal Area
Executive secretary – Bishop Marcus Matthews, Washington Episcopal Area
Ecumenical officer – Bishop B. Michael Watson, North Georgia Episcopal area

The ecumenical officer, executive secretary and chair of the Connectional Table each serve four-year terms. The president, president-designate and secretary serve two-year terms, which begin on the third day of the General Conference.

In accordance with the Council’s bylaws, an eight-member Leadership Discernment Committee of the Council (which is composed of one bishop from each U.S. jurisdiction and three Central Conference bishops) selected a slate of officers to present to the Council for election by a two-thirds majority. Nominations for secretary and ecumenical officer may also be presented from the floor.

About the Council of Bishops
The Council of Bishops provides leadership and helps set the direction of the 12.8 million-member church and its mission throughout the world. The bishops are the top clergy leaders of The United Methodist Church, the second largest Protestant denomination in the U.S.